UCLA brings wellness to the community

The UCLA Family Commons in Santa Monica is the first step in a nationwide effort to merge science with fun to promote healthy living. Researchers at UCLA will be introducing a new concept to the Santa Monica community this week: a neighborhood clinic designed to assist families in becoming — and staying — healthy. The UCLA Family Commons , a new family wellness center at 1221 Second Street in Santa Monica, close to the Third Street Promenade, will celebrate its official opening on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m. The pedestrian-friendly storefront location is the prototype for what organizers hope will be a number of such centers located in neighborhoods around the country. This is not a typical "doctor's office" but a neighborhood gathering place that will offer wellness classes for children and adults, family counseling, wellness check-ups and even an interactive art installation that reflects the changing moods of Santa Monica's residents. "The concept is that it will be a fun place to visit for parents and their kids, while serving as a reliable source for science-based information about health and wellness," said Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Commons co-founder and a professor of psychiatry at UCLA. "Prevention must play a huge role in health care reform," added Commons co-founder Diane Flannery, who co-directs, with Rotheram-Borus, UCLA's Center for Community Health .